Apathy greets voter cards distribution in Enugu

A low turnout was witnessed in Enugu State as the Independent National Electoral Commission commenced the distribution of permanent voters cards on Friday.

Our correspondent, who monitored the exercise in some collection centers in the state, observed that only a handful of people came to collect their cards.

The centers include those at Okpara Square, New Haven, Independence Layout, and others.

Also, the exercise did not commence on time.

In most of the centers, the collection commenced in the afternoon.

Our correspondent equally observed that, despite the public enlightenment campaign conducted by INEC, most people in the state seemed not to be aware of the exercise.

While at a collection center in Okpara Square, our correspondent observed that many motorists stopped over, just out of curiosity, when they noticed others who were there to collect their cards.

Some of them were heard asking others what was happening at the venue.

However, INEC was optimistic that the turnout will improve on Saturday as the exercise enters its second day.

The exercise will last for three days – Friday, May 23 to Sunday, May 25.

The Public Relations Officer of Enugu State INEC, Mr. Samuel Bassey, in a chat with our correspondent, assured that a much larger turnout will be witnessed today.

But he also urged all those who participated in the registration to go to come out and collect their permanent voters cards.

“People should come out and collect their cards, in doing that they will find out if their registration was valid.

“After the collection of cards their will be an opportunity for those whose data were not captured in the register to register again.

“So it is very important for every registered voter to go to the collection centers and check the status of their registration,” Bassey said.

The INEC spokesman also assured that the exercise would commence on time.

There were insinuations that reports that the names of a large percentage of prospective voters who registered in the last registration exercise were “missing” from the voter register contributed to the low turn out witnessed on Friday.

In spite of the development, INEC is insisting that the affected prospective voters will not be disenfranchised as another opportunity has been provided for to register.